Polarized relay



April 5, 1960 A. E. SPRANDO 2,931,372

POLARIZED RELAY Filed Sept. 22, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A. E. SPRANDOPOLARIZED RELAY A ril 5, 1960 2 Sheets-Shem 2 Filed Sept. 22, 1958United States Patent 6 2,931,872 POLARIZED RELAY Anthony E. Sprando,Portland, reg., assignor to Iron Fireman Manufacturing Company, acorporation of Oregon Application September 22, 1958, Serial No. 762,648

6 Claims. (Cl. 20093) This;,invention relates generally to electriccircuit re-. lays of the polarized type and specifically provides apolarized relay structure of simple form, economical to produce, andparticularly adapted for use as a so-called latching or impulse operatedrelay. However with only slight modification the invention provides thewell known biased armature relay function.

It is a particular object of this invention to provide a polarizedelectric circuit relay which is simple in design, economical to build,reliable in operation and of small size.

It is a second object to provide such a relay having a minimum number ofparts and a minimum number of precise operations in the production andassembly of the parts yet having the maximum precision and reliabilityof operation.

It is a third object to provide such a relay one form of which can beimpulse operated to either of two functional positions and will bemagnetically latched in the one of the two positions to which it isoperated.

It is a fourth object to provide such a relay a second form of which ismagnetically biased to one operating position and electro-magneticallyoperated to another operating position.

It is a fifth object to provide a novel and useful construction for arelay in which the above objects are attained.

How these and other objects are attained is explained in the followingdescription referring to the attached drawings in which:

Fig. 1 shows a fragmental side elevation in partial section of a firstform of the relay of this invention.

Fig. 2 shows a plan view in partial section along the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows a plan view in partial section along the line 3-3 of Fig.1.

Fig. 4 shows a plan view as seen from the line 44 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 shows a fragmental side elevation of a second form of the relayof this invention.

Fig. 6 shows a plan view in partial section along the line 6--6 of Fig.5.

Fig. 7 shows a fragmental side elevation in partial section of a thirdform of the relay of this invention.

Fig. 8 shows a plan view in partial section along the line 8 --8 of Fig.8.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts in the several figures ofthe drawings.

Referring now to the drawings the'first form of my invention shown inFigs. 1 to 4 is seen to include a switch operator having a non-permanentmagnetic circuit comprising a pair of substantially identical parallelelectric steel pole pieces 11 with flattened upper pole face ends 12.The lower end pole pieces 11 are permanently se cured into electricsteelyoke 13 a shown in Fig. 1. The non-permanent magnetic circuit iscompleted by arm"- ture 14. Permanent magnet 15 between pole pieces 11and parallel thereto is secured at its lower end into yoke 13 as shown.A non-magnetic frame channel 1617 having a horizontal base 16 andvertical legs 17 is seen to have the upper ends of pole pieces 11secured therethrough' and to secure therethrough the reduced upperFatented Apr. 5, 1960 end 18 of magnet 15. Permanent magnet 15 above itssection 18 is again reduced to form a journal 19 for armature 14 drilledas shown to be freely rotatably carried on magnet '15 and magneticallysecured thereon.

Electrically conducting relay terminals 20, 21, 22, 25, 26, 30, 31, 32,35 and 36 are hermetically sealed and electrically insulated byinsulating supports 23 set into base header 24 as shown.

Welded to the inner ends of terminals 20 and 30 are blade supports 20aand 30a. Welded to the inner ends of terminals 21, 22, 31, 32 are switchcontacts 21a, 22a, 31a and 32a.

Resilient, electrically conducting switch blade 20b carrying movablecontact 20c at its free end is secured at its other end to support 20ato bias contact 200 towards stationary contact 21a.

Similarly blade 3% carries movable contact 300 at its free end and issecured at its other end to support 30a to bias contact 30c towardsstationary contact 31a.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 4 base header 24 is notched at 34 on oppositeedges to receive tangs 34a and to set on the steps 33 formed near theupper ends of legs 17 extending upwardly from the base 16 of the framechannel 1617.

The open end of enclosing can 27 is hermetically sealed to the peripheryof base header 24.

Respective operating coils 37, 38 of insulated wire with insulatingboards 39 at either ends are positioned. It should be noticed 1 thatlegs 17 of base channel 1617 are each formedwith an opening 28therethrough, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, through which terminal leads,not shown, from coil 1 around pole pieces 11 as shown.

37 can be lead and secured to the inner ends of relay terminals 25, 26and through which terminal leads, not

shown, from coil 38 can be lead and secured to the inner ends of relayterminals 35, 36.

Since switch blades 20b and 30b are biased towards contact respectivelywith stationary contacts 21a and 31a the armature is provided with arms40 and 41 welded thereto and tipped with insulating glass ends 40a and41a,

respectively to contact blades 20b and 30b and move contacts 20c and 300from contacts 21a and 31a and into contact with stationary contacts 22aand 32a whenever armature 14 is rotated clockwise as seen in Figs. 2 and3.

It should be noted that permanent magnet 15 is always of one polarityand when neither of coils 37 nor 38 are energized the magnetic field ofmagnet 15 will in major part include the half armature and magnetic polepiece which are in contact and only in minor part As noted above theleads of coil 37 are independently brought out to terminal pins 25, 26and the leads of coil 38 are independently brought out to terminal pinsv 35, 36 so that coils 37 and 38 may be selectively energized withdirect current polarized to give their respective pole pieces a polarityopposite to that of the pennanent magnet. Then to release switch blades20b and 30b from the restraint of arms 40 and 41 of armature 14 andallow moving contacts 20c and 300 to move from stationary contacts 22aand 32a to stationary contacts 21:: and 31a respectively, it is onlynecessary momentarily to energize coil 38 at which time itsmagnetomotive force will be added to that of the permanent magnet 15 andtheinstantaneously increased magnetic flux of the circuit includingpermanent magnet 15, the right hand end of yoke 13, pole piece 12 andthe right hand end of arrna- ,j

'ture 14 will cause armature 14 to move counter clockwise to contact thepole piece of coil 38 where the armature will be magnetically latched bythe force of the permanent magnet 15 even after the energization of coil38 is interrupted.

Itis seen that the structure of Figs. 1 to 4 provides an electric relayhaving a pair of S.P.D.T. electric switches instantaneously operablefrom one of their two throw positions to the other by the selectivemomentary energization of one or the other of a pair of electromagnetcoils. The switches are seen to be held in their positions to which theywere last operated until the alternate solenoid is momentarilyenergized.

Without duplicating the complete description as above given of thelatching relay of Figs. 1 to 4, attention is called to the use in Figs.7 and 8 of substantially the same construction but with minor changescausing the relay to operate in the more usual way of having thearmature biased to one position and operated to its other position bythe energization of a magnetic circuit and held in its said otherposition until the magnetic circuit is deenergized.

The relay of Figs. 7 and 8 is the same as the structure of Figs. 1 to 4with Figs. 7 and 8 corresponding to Figs. 1 and 2 except that asparticularly shown in Fig. 8 the air gap between armature 14 and theright hand pole piece 12 is always maintained at greater length bycopper plug 50 than the greatest opening of the air gap between armature14 and the left hand pole piece 12. Thus without energization of themagnetic circuit by coils 37, 38, armature 14 will always be biased bypermanent magnet 15 into contact with the left hand pole piece 12. Alsoin the relay of Figs. 7 and 8 it should be noted, although not shown,that the two operating coils 37, 38, are connected in series with coil37 giving its pole piece 12 the polarity of permanent magnet 15 and withcoil 38 giving its pole piece 12 a polarity opposite to that of magnet15. Thus when the positions of switch blades 2% and 3% are to be changedcoils 37, 38 are energized in series by direct current thereby causingthe magnetic flux to concentrate in the circuit of yoke 13, magnet 15,the pole piece including the plug 59 and the side of the armature nearplug 50. Although the air gap is bigger at the plug 50 end of armature14, the increase flux causes the armature to move into contact with plug59 and to remain there so long as coils 37, 38 are energized. When coils37, 33 are deenergized the permanent magnet and the shorter air gap onthe side opposite the plug 50 side will cause the armature to rotateclockwise into contact with the left hand pole piece 12 and stay thereuntil the coils 37, 38 are again energized.

The devices of Figs. 1 to 4 and 7 to 8 respectively show two functionalarrangements of the relay of my invention while Figs. and 6 show a novelarmature mounting structure which is preferred in some uses of mydevice. Figs. 5 and 6 are equivalent to Figs. 1 and 2 and are used todisclose the change in armature mounting structure only. Thus in placeof the journal end 19 of magnet 15 as shown in Figs. 1 to 4, in Figs. 5and 6 and the end 19a of a magnet 15a is formed with a knife edge 19bparallel to the axis of magnet 15a and armature 14a is formed with aV-notch 14b mating with knife edge 1%. Armature 1412 will of course beheld by magnet 15a freely pivoted thereon.

Having thus recited some of the objects of my invention, illustrated anddescribed alternate functional uses and structures for and with which myinvention may be practiced and explained the operation and use thereof,I claim:

1. A polarized relay comprising an electric switch element alternatelymovable between two operative positions and a magnetic operatorselectively operable to position said element, said operator comprisinga first single-element magnetic pole'piece, a second single ele-' beingsecured to said yoke to extend from the same ment magnetic pole piece, apermanent magnet pole piece, a magnetic yoke, a magnetic armature, afirst single electric coil surrounding said first pole piece, a secondsingle electric coil surrounding said second pole piece, a first directcurrent means for energizing said first coil and a second direct currentmeans for energizing said second coil, one end of each of said polepieces side thereof with said permanent magnet between and equallyspaced from said first and second pole pieces, means cooperativelyformed on the other end of said permanent magnet and on said armature tosupport said armature for balanced rotation on said permanent magnetabout an axis parallel to the axes of said first and second pole piecesand equally spaced therefrom.

2. The polarized relay of claim 1 in which said first direct currentmeans is polarized to give the adjacent ends of said first pole pieceand said permanent magnet opposite polarities and said second directcurrent means is polarized to give the adjacent ends of said second polepiece and said permanent magnet opposite polarities, whereby onalternate momentary applications of said two direct current means tosaid two coils said armature will move into contact with the respectivepole piece of the coil to which said direct current means is applied andremain in contact therewith until the other of said two direct currentmeans is applied to the other of said cause one of said pole pieces tobe polarized with the' same polarity as said permanent magnet and theother of said pole pieces to be polarized with the opposite polarity ofsaid permanent magnet when both said coils are energized and in whichsaid relay includes means for maintaining a minimum air gap lengthbetween said armature and said pole piece of opposite polarity to saidpermanent magnet greater than the maximum length of the air gap betweensaid armature and the other of said pole pieces whereby when said directcurrent means are disconnected from said coils the bias of said magneton said armature will rotate said armature to shorten said air gaphaving a maximum length shorter than the minimum length of the then airgap of said armature.

4. The polarized relay of claim 1 in which said means cooperativelyformed on said other end of said permanent magnet and said armatureincludes a journal formed on one and a cooperating bearing formed on theother of said permanent magnet and said armature.

5. The polarized relay of claim 1 in which said means cooperativelyformed on said other end of said permanent magnet and said armatureincludes a knife edge formed on one and a cooperating bearing formed onthe other of said permanent magnet and said armature, said armaturebeing rotatably held on said magnet solely by the magnetic attraction ofsaid knife edge and said cooperating bearing.

6. The polarized relay of claim 1 in which said means cooperativelyformed on said other end of said permanent magnet and said armatureincludes a knife edge formed on one and a cooperating groove formed onthe other of said permanent magnet and said armature, said armaturebeing rotatably held on said magnet solely by the magnetic attraction ofsaid knife edge and said cooperating groove.

Reterences Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,421,269 Lucas June 27, 1922 2,151,749 Dawson Mar. 28, 1939 2,404,227Hall July 16, 1946 2,718,568 Somers Sept. 20, 1955 2,824,189 "Zimmer-Feb; 18, 1958

